of Granite and Sandstone in Sutherland. 275 



facts, be exempted from the suspicion of attempting to support 

 that doctrine by a prejudiced selection of facts ; since some of 

 the phenomena accompanying the appearances to be detailed, 

 might, with very little effort, be so represented as to support 

 the opposed opinions, and may indeed, for aught that I know, 

 be used for this purpose by an observer, who, having adopted 

 those, may (and really without any absolute mala fides) view 

 them in a different light from myself. To those, in reality, 

 who still believe that all rocks have been formed successively 

 from solutions of the earths in water, this appearance may 

 probably afford matter for triumph, more particularly from the 

 apparent gradations which it presents between granite and 

 sandstone. It has been, censoriously, said to be the policy 

 of a strenuous partisan to suppress, if he cannot mutilate and 

 misrepresent, facts so hostile as these may at first sight 

 appear ; but he deserves only compassion who does not feel 

 that there can be no pleasure equal to that derived from 

 establishing a truth in science, though he should, for that, 

 renounce all the opinions for which he has contended or 

 written. 



I shall not pretend to follow up the facts which I shall now 

 proceed to describe, with any very detailed reasonings, since 

 they do not seem, in the present state of our information, to 

 admit of much that would prove of a satisfactory nature ; but 

 I may, nevertheless, repeat what I have so often urged, that, 

 on the question which respects the igneous origin of granite, 

 there is a vast body of evidence derived from facts of the 

 same nature as those which have established the igneous origin 

 of trap. The present is, in some of its circumstances, a soli- 

 tary difficulty — possibly, what is popularly called an exception : 

 and, on the nature of such exceptions, or rather of appearances 

 not concordant, in all particulars, with the predominant ex- 

 amples, we have no right to pronounce any judgment, unless 

 perfectly informed respecting all the circumstances which 

 might have modified or affected the usual results. 



It cannot fail to be known to those in the least acquainted 

 with Scottish geology, that there is an extensive tract of 

 granite in Sutherland, one part of which interferes with the 

 Jjoundary of the neighbouring county of Caithness. It is 



